A K Bhattacharya
 "A K Bhattacharya")
A K Bhattacharya
A K Bhattacharya is a senior economic journalist with over four decades of experience. He is Business Standard's editorial director and a writer of a long-running column - Raisina Hill. He had set the bar for business reporting as the chief of bureau at the Economic Times in the early 1990s, when economic reforms raged. He had a ringside view to many other disruptions, creative and otherwise, during his four decades in journalism, a journey that started when he switched careers after a year of teaching.
A K Bhattacharya is a senior economic journalist with over four decades of experience. He is Business Standard's editorial director and a writer of a long-running column - Raisina Hill. He had set the bar for business reporting as the chief of bureau at the Economic Times in the early 1990s, when economic reforms raged. He had a ringside view to many other disruptions, creative and otherwise, during his four decades in journalism, a journey that started when he switched careers after a year of teaching.
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No, Minister: Subhash Chandra Garg's 2nd memoir mirrors tone of his first
The tenor of the second part of former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg's memoir is not dissimilar to that which pervaded his first one --and the title is a dead giveaway
 "No, Minister: Subhash Chandra Garg's 2nd memoir mirrors tone of his first")
Dealing with an air crash: Focus on institutional reform, not info leaks
Could the authorities have prevented such unfortunate developments in the wake of the report on the aircraft crash?
 "Dealing with an air crash: Focus on institutional reform, not info leaks")
Three nationalisations: Lessons from govt's approach to SBI, LIC, Air India
A common factor uniting the three entities is that they all belonged to the services sector
 "Three nationalisations: Lessons from govt's approach to SBI, LIC, Air India")
Falling PSU disinvestment receipts as stark as higher govt capex for them
Disinvestment as a policy was launched in the early 1990s to bolster revenue and use the reduced government stake in PSUs to help enhance their autonomy
 "Falling PSU disinvestment receipts as stark as higher govt capex for them")
Perils of overestimates: Balancing deficit targets with accurate estimates
The sharp downward revision in personal income-tax collections for 2024-25 was perhaps one of the main reasons for the government applying the brakes on its revenue expenditure
 "Perils of overestimates: Balancing deficit targets with accurate estimates")
India's FDI puzzle: Why India Inc is investing more abroad than at home
A quick analysis of the data reveals that there were two factors responsible for this sharp decline
 "India's FDI puzzle: Why India Inc is investing more abroad than at home")
John Matthai: The values of service revisited in fresh perspective
In Epilogue, however, Mr Dadabhoy chooses to dwell on Matthai's children and their achievements. In a biography of John Matthai, Epilogue should have been on his larger legacy in public policymaking
 "John Matthai: The values of service revisited in fresh perspective")
Why the conflict on India's border could reshape the FM's fiscal priorities
A Kargil-style squeeze on public finances is unlikely in 2025, but rising defence demands may challenge Nirmala Sitharaman's consolidation strategy
 "Why the conflict on India's border could reshape the FM's fiscal priorities")
PMO: Himanshu Roy's book traces evolution of prime-ministerial governance
The book has an excellent section on how the offices of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet secretariat have evolved in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia
 "PMO: Himanshu Roy's book traces evolution of prime-ministerial governance")
Continuity and change: Bureaucratic rejig signals shift in economic focus
To begin with, there appears to be a crackdown on the practice of secretaries holding dual charges for several months
 "Continuity and change: Bureaucratic rejig signals shift in economic focus")
Sumana Roy's book traces Bengal writers' empathy with plants, objects
Phloem plays a similar role for Plant Thinkers of Twentieth-Century Bengal
 "Sumana Roy's book traces Bengal writers' empathy with plants, objects")
To turn crisis into opportunity, India needs a reform playbook reboot
India must revisit how reforms are designed, executed and shared between the Centre and states, if it wants to seize the global moment and boost long-term economic growth
 "To turn crisis into opportunity, India needs a reform playbook reboot")
Regulating the regulators: Less diversity may weaken reform principle
Note that the erosion of these principles followed in the early years of reforms did not happen suddenly or only now. This occurred gradually over the last many years
 "Regulating the regulators: Less diversity may weaken reform principle")
Waiting for better statistics: GDP data revisions highlight deeper issues
Statisticians across the spectrum welcomed this decision, though questions remained about why the timeline for releasing a given year's GDP data and the number of revisions couldn't be reduced further
 "Waiting for better statistics: GDP data revisions highlight deeper issues")
Govt's civilian staff grows, but is it leading to efficiency gains?
Union Budget for 2025-26, presented earlier this month, provides an idea of how the Centre has gone about recruiting staff in all its departments and ministries, other than those in the armed forces
 "Govt's civilian staff grows, but is it leading to efficiency gains?")
Ambivalence on PSU policy: Budget 2025 eyes higher dividends, lower equity
In a departure from the past many years, its contribution to the PSUs' capital outlay by way of equity and loans will decline
 "Ambivalence on PSU policy: Budget 2025 eyes higher dividends, lower equity")
Of tax relief, transparency and promises: A Budget focused on clarity
The regret about this Budget is that it once again shies away from renewing its commitment to strategic disinvestment
 "Of tax relief, transparency and promises: A Budget focused on clarity")
Bailing out a PSU: Govt's equity infusion in RINL signals a shift in policy
During the current year, RINL's total liabilities have risen to over Rs 35,000 crore, with defaults on its loan repayment and interest payment
 "Bailing out a PSU: Govt's equity infusion in RINL signals a shift in policy")
An opportunity in capex decline: Scrap new schemes, BSNL equity infusion
Not too many tears would be shed for a squeeze on capex if the hit is primarily on infusing equity into a state-owned enterprise and on new schemes that are yet to be announced
 "An opportunity in capex decline: Scrap new schemes, BSNL equity infusion")
Manmohan Singh: Portrait of a technocrat as a practitioner of politics
Manmohan Singh, a pioneering economic administrator and India's fourth-longest-serving PM, leaves behind a legacy of economic reforms, policy pragmatism, and unwavering dedication to public service
 "Manmohan Singh: Portrait of a technocrat as a practitioner of politics")